


The Warehouse - Ballum Oneshot

by benshearingaid



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:07:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/benshearingaid/pseuds/benshearingaid
Summary: Callum sits alone, bound and tied, wondering if he'll ever get out of the warehouse.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 6
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

Callum's eyelids were heavy.   
Almost as though invisible rocks has been placed upon them, weighing them down. His head rolled on his neck, sleep taking him in blissfully for a split second. He jolted awake again, the shock taking his breath slightly.   
It's cold. Really, really fucking cold.  
The warehouse was dark but daylight came in through the windows near the roof. There wasn't much light but Callum's eyes had adjusted themselves. There was a breeze from somewhere. Callum assumed it was from the hole in the roof, on the opposite side of the room, where the weather had worn away the foundations.  
When Keanu left him, he forgot to pull Callum's fabric gag back into his mouth, much to Callum's relief.   
Callum cleared his throat, his warm breath dancing in a white cloud as it escaped from his mouth. He was thirsty, wishing more than anything that he had a cup of tea in his hands. As British as that was of him.  
Any normal day, Callum would've been thankful for the silence, living with his brother, Stuart and his girlfriend, Rainie, peace and quiet was sparse. They often laughed, and argued, and did... other things. Callum grimaced at the thought. But this silence was unbearable. He'd give anything to hear them at it again. Fucking hell, this experience is that bad, huh?  
The cold has reached his fingertips and though it's dark in this corner of the warehouse, Callum knows for a fact that they're probably purple. Blue, even. They're numb and Callum isn't entirely sure if it's from the bindings around his wrists or the ice cold air. He tries wiggling them to get feeling back in them, then feels like an idiot.  
Another exhale, another hot air cloud.  
A shudder rushes through Callum. How irritating that Keanu didn't have the kindness to grab him a coat before carrying him out of the flat. It's so cold that it actually hurts to breathe. His lungs feel like frozen ice blocks. That feeling when your throat burns.   
Callum wonders how Keanu managed to carry him out, unseen and unnoticed... but also realises that by the amount of pain he's in across his entire body, he was probably bashed and bumped along the way.   
He winces at the ache in his cheek from the initial punch from Keanu. The knock out. Urgh. Why did Callum feel embarrassed that that's all it took to knock him unconscious? He'd been in the army, for goodness sake. He was tough. Yeah, he left because he was injured but... he's a hero, right?!  
Callum jumped, the sound of a pigeon's wings flapping and scaring him. It landed in front of him but still far enough away. He wondered if it saw him, sitting there. The pigeon pecked away at something on the ground, completely minding it's own business.   
Callum's stomach growled. He'd only eaten a few mouthfuls of his cereal this morning, the nerves for his police assessment proving too much.... oh fuck, his assessment. Callum wasn't sure what time it was but he was certain he'd missed it. He groaned, unsure if he was happy about that or not. Sure, the job is something he's always wanted to do and it would make him very happy but it would affect his relationship with... Ben.  
He wondered if Ben knew he'd been kidnapped yet or if Keanu was playing with him. He wondered if Keanu had even made his presence known to Ben yet. Callum knows Ben will have probably gone mad. He did think he was dead, after all. He's probably fuming. Callum hopes Ben hasn't done something stupid.   
He was suddenly fearful he'd never be found.   
He glanced at his phone on the floor beside him, the screen smashed from when he'd come round from being unconscious and flipped out, being scared. Almost by magic, his phone lit up and began to ring and vibrate, spooking the pigeon into flying away. The screen informed Callum that Stuart was calling him. And that it was almost 5pm. It would soon be dark. Callum wasn't ashamed to admit he was frightened. Petrified, even.  
Silence.  
The phone began to ring again, vibrating across the floor slightly closer, but still out of reach of his tethered hands.   
This time, it was Ben.   
Beautiful Ben. His Ben.  
Callum wasn't sure why his eyes were suddenly full of tears and why his heart ached. He shook his head, trying to shake the feeling away with it. The feeling that he was going to die here. The feeling he'd never see his loved ones again.  
For the longest time, he'd wanted something like this. Someone like Ben. He'd wanted a love like this, as cliche as it sounded. Ben was accepting of him, he was patient and kind, and despite his flaws, Callum adored him.  
He'd lost him, recently, over nothing, it seemed, since Keanu was actually still alive. The pain that he'd felt for those few weeks, the feeling of being alone, in a room full of people, the feeling of being invisible to everyone again... it was horrendous. When they'd gotten back together, Callum promised himself that he'd never let Ben slip away again. Never let him go. He'd made sure to remind Ben he loved him, every day, despite the fact Ben had yet to say it back to him. Just in small ways, nothing to overwhelming. After the goodbye kisses, at the end of a phone call, when the sun rose on their sleepy faces every morning, Callum would tell him he loved him. And he did. He really, really did.   
The tears spilled now and Callum angrily wiped his cheeks on his shoulder, making it his mission to get out of here, somehow.   
He didn't need to be saved.... did he?


	2. Dehydration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was asked to write more. Thanks for reading this. The idea just hit me.   
> Please leave me some comments, I'd love to see what you think.

The hours had passed by and it was dark now.   
Callum's phone had died so he had no idea what time it was. The calls from Stuart and Ben had drained the battery on his phone which was low anyway. Callum never charged his phone overnight, much to Ben's annoyance. He'd badgered him about it many times when Callum's phone had been off in the middle of the day because it had no charge. 'What if there's an emergency?' Ben had asked. Callum always thought he'd been being dramatic. He made a mental note to always keep his charger with him now.  
Callum felt horrible. He wondered if he'd ever been this thirsty in his entire life. His last drink was orange juice because he'd used the last bit of milk on his cereal that he hadn't even finished. He silently cursed himself for that.   
His body ached. The mixture of injuries he'd had inflicted upon on him and being sat in the same position for hours on end with his legs and hands bound.   
His head ached. The mixture of overthinking turning into a headache and from where Keanu had hit him. And from the cold. That feeling when you eat ice cream too quickly or drink a really cold drink straight off. Brain freeze. He thought about Lexi and how she'd begged and begged him for an ice cream in the middle of September. She chose a bright, blue ice lolly and happily sat licking it on the park bench, her little legs swinging happily, the Autumn sun blazing down on them. Her tongue turned blue instantly and she giggled as she told Callum how Ben never allowed her ice lollies but promised it would be their little secret. How he missed her.  
Callum thought about his medicine cupboard, how himself and Stuart and emptied it when Rainie had suffered with her addiction. The ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin they'd poured from their containers and packets into the toilet and flushed away because they weren't left alone if they were simply placed into the bin. There'd probably been a lot of high rats and cockroaches in the Walford sewers that week after. But it was for Rainie. And her safety.   
Oh, what he'd do for a glass of water and some pain relief right now.  
His mouth was dry and a cough had formed, making his lungs feel like liquid and ice. A sort of slush puppy drink caged into his chest. He tried to lick his lips but the saliva in his mouth was sparse.  
Minutes slipped by but they felt like days.   
He was just so cold. He knew his arms had goosebumps, in fact, his entire body did. It was almost painful.  
He let his eyes fall, unable to keep them open any longer. They'd gotten gritty and sore from crying and trying to stay awake. He rested his head on his sternum, drifting away.   
"Wake up, boy!" Callum's eyes shot open, his breath catching. "Sleeping on the job are ya?" Callum raised his head and saw the figure stood before him, leaning on one of the beams holding up the building.   
"Dad?" He managed.  
"Look at'cha. Can't even save himself from this. Pathetic. I can't believe you're my son. Bet your muvva cheated on me really. Not my son, are ya? Maybe you were swapped at birth."  
Callum frowned, confused and wondering if this was real.   
How had his Father found him?  
"You need to get me out of here." Callum pleaded.   
His Father let out a loud laugh, throwing his head back as he did so.  
"No one can help ya now, son." The words echoed and suddenly the man was gone.  
Vanished.  
"Callum?"   
Whilst staring into the empty space that his Father had just occupied, Callum heard a female voice across the other side of the room.   
"Callum?" They repeated.  
Whitney Dean wandered into his view, looking petrified and concerned. "Whit!" He called back but she didn't turn to him. She didn't run to him.   
"I'm here, Whit, please!" Callum tried to make his voice louder but nothing worked. Whitney stood crying, her head in her hands. "Callum, where are you?!" Her voice was a heartbreaking sound.   
"Please...." Callum watched as Whitney faded, just like his Father had done seconds ago.   
He felt sick now. What was happening?   
He must've fallen back to sleep.   
He felt a presence, watching him.   
He jumped, seeing a woman he didn't recognise. "Hello?" She whispered. Her voice had an accent. "Who are you?" Callum's heart was thudding in his chest. "My boy... he... alive." Her English was broken, it wasn't her first language.   
"Do I know you?" Callum asked, still worried. The woman shook her head but held out a picture to him. Through squinting eyes, Callum saw the boy he'd saved in the army. "My son." The woman smiled, tapping the photograph with her index finger. "He alive." She smiled again but a tear slid down her cheek.   
Callum swallowed and spoke, his words shaking. "I'm sorry."   
He felt so guilty. She'd died and Callum truly believed it was his fault.   
He should've saved her.  
A man walked towards the woman from no where, putting his arm around her as she cried, silently.  
"Callum, you aren't at fault." The army uniform, the voice.   
Callum knew him and his heart stopped at the realisation. "Chris." Callum almost whispered.  
"You can't blame yourself." Chris said, shaking his head, sincerity on his face. The woman faded and Chris got closer to Callum, holding out a hand.   
"Callum...." He whispered cupping Callum's cheek but the hand was cold. There was no warmth. Was it real?   
"You.... you're a hero." Chris said. "No I ain't... I ain't! You're the hero." Callum's tears fell. This was horrible.   
Was he losing his mind?  
"Am I dead?" Callum was suddenly frightened, his breath quickened and his heart rate got quicker.   
"Is this heaven? Am I not allowed in?" Chris smiled and moved his hand away, shaking his head.   
"You're dehydrated, Callum. You're hallucinating. You're in a bad way. We're.... not real. We were... but not anymore." His voice was soothing, but his words were hard to hear.   
"You need to get me out of here." Callum begged. Chris shook his head. "That's not up to me, Halfway." He said.   
Callum stared at him, noticing parts of him were fading.  
"You're exhausted. Come on.. get some sleep." He lay Callum on his side and stroked his hair. "I'll see you soon." He whispered.   
And then he was gone.  
"I'm scared." Callum admitted into the emptiness. The silence.  
He closed his eyes. Sleep took him once more.  
Footsteps.   
Loud footsteps.  
Running.  
Thudding.  
Shouting.  
"Callum!"   
But he couldn't open his eyes.  
"Callum!!!" Louder this time.  
"Help me." Callum managed, his voice quieter than it had ever been.  
"Callum!" The footsteps were closer now, the voice more desperate.   
Callum felt arms around him, dragging his body up from the floor. "Babe! Can you hear me?!"  
Ben.  
"Help me." Callum repeated, almost like those were the only words in his vocabulary.   
"I'm here, I'm here now. I'm going to get you out of here."   
And then Ben embraced him.  
And he was warm.   
He was real.   
This was real.   
And Callum knew he was safe again.


End file.
